Issuu

year, but no keynote speaker is planned next weekend.

Gold Coast Book Fair is back for its third year in the hamlet

By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com

The Gold Coast Book Fair will return to downtown Oyster Bay this month with a major expansion, bringing two full days of literary programming, more than 150 authors and a broader slate of family activities to Long Island’s largest literary event.

The festival, organized by the Gold Coast Forum in partnership with the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, is scheduled for May 16 and 17, and will feature author panels, book signings, a vendors market, children’s programming, food trucks and interactive exhibits spread across 11 venues throughout the hamlet.

Former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, owner of Theodore’s Books and founder of the fair, said this year marks the first time the entire

festival will be held in downtown Oyster Bay. In the past, programming has been divided between the downtown and the Long Island University Post campus in Brookville, but attendees have expressed a preference for the events in the hamlet, Israel said, where they have had access to its stores and restaurants in addition to festival offerings.

“LIU has been extremely wonderful, a great partner,” Israel said. “But the feedback we got from festivalgoers is they enjoy the experience of being downtown and shopping local.”

He added that the consolidated layout will make the experience easier for both attendees and organizers. “In the past, people would have to drive to LIU and then Oyster Bay,” Israel said. “Now it’s really one-stop shopping. Also, we don’t need to move books

Continued on page 21

Now is the perfect time to review your coverage

school board

By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Residents heard from five candidates seeking three seats on the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District Board of Education at the district’s Meet the Candidates night last week. The discussion focused on school achievement, transparency, technology, budgeting and student services ahead of the May 19 election.

Tdent and vice president; former Trustees Todd Cronin and Anne Marie Longo; and newcomer Alina Vagliante.

Throughout the evening, candidates repeatedly pointed to the district’s achievements in academics, athletics and facilities improvements while also debating concerns over transparency, technology and educational priorities.

he five candidates discussed topics ranging from A.I. to finances, communication and transgender bathroom policy.

Hosted in partnership with the League of Women Voters, the April 27 forum gave candidates the chance to discuss their qualifications and visions for the district. The contested seats include two full terms running through June 30, 2030, and one partial term expiring in June 2027.

League representatives Barbara Epstein, Joan Galante and Harriet Steinberg moderated the event. The candidates included incumbents Nancy Castrogiovanni and MaryAnn Santos, the current board presi-

Castrogiovanni highlighted what she described as significant progress in academic performance and school rankings during her time on the board.

“Oyster BayEast Norwich is now ranked by Niche in the top 3 percent of schools in America,” she said, referring to the ranking and review website, “and placing number 41 in New York state.” She also pointed to increased passing rates on Advanced Placement exams, expanded facilities and new district programs.

Santos emphasized the disContinued on page 23

Herald file photo

in past years the fair has featured keynote speakers, such as author erik Larsen, above right, with Steve israel, in 2024, its inaugural

things to know about: ticks

How to avoid bites and stay healthy this spring

By WILL SHEELINE

wsheeline@liherald.com

As temperatures rise across the United States, outdoor activity increases on trails, in parks and in backyards. That seasonal shift also brings heightened exposure to ticks, small parasites capable of transmitting serious illnesses. Information from the National Forest Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains what people should understand about ticks before heading outside.

n Tick bites can carry real health risks, despite their small size

While not every tick carries disease, some species can transmit illnesses that lead to significant health complications.

Among the most widely known are Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, both of which can cause symptoms ranging from fever and fatigue to more severe complications if untreated.

Tick species vary by region, and each type may carry different pathogens. That makes regional awareness important.

Understanding which ticks are common in a given area helps determine which symptoms to monitor after a bite.

Early warning signs can include a distinctive bull’s-eye rash, small red spots on extremities, or flulike symptoms in the weeks following exposure.

n

Ticks are active in more places and times than many expect

Lawns, gardens and neighborhood trails can all harbor ticks, especially in shaded areas with tall grass, brush or leaf litter.

Ticks typically attach to people or pets when they brush against vegetation. Once on the body, they tend to move in search of concealed areas such as the scalp, underarms, waistline or behind the knees.

Seasonally, ticks are most active during spring, summer and early fall, though they can remain active any time temperatures stay above freezing.

Preventive measures can significantly lower the chance of a bite. Wearing light colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot, while long sleeves and tucked clothing create barriers that slow their movement. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535 are recommended for exposed skin, and permethrin treatments can be applied to clothing.

n Prompt removal and follow up are critical to safety

If a tick is found attached to the skin, try to remove it as soon as possible. Use clean, fine tipped tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and pull upward with steady pressure. Twisting or jerking can cause parts of the tick to remain embedded. After removal, the bite area and hands should be cleaned with soap and water or alcohol. The tick itself should be sealed, flushed or put in alcohol. Once indoors, individuals should shower, change clothes and wash garments in hot water. Gear and pets should also be checked carefully.

Medical attention is not usually necessary after a bite, but monitoring for symptoms is important. Anyone who develops a rash, fever or flu-like illness within several weeks should contact a healthcare provider and report when and where the exposure occurred.

Oyster Bay Day brings hundreds to the hamlet

By JULIA CAPITELLI jcapitelli@liherald.com

Families and Town of Oyster Bay residents came together in downtown Oyster Bay for the annual Oyster Bay Day street fair on Saturday. Organized by the town and the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, the event featured vendors, live music and children’s activities.

Among the vendors were members of the chamber of commerce as well as other local businesses. Clothing, purses, soap, honey, handmade items, children’s toys and cigars were some of the items for sale. Several booths offered attendees information and materials related to health and fitness.

Several food trucks and stands offered a variety of options like seafood, roasted corn, artisan pickles and fried food. The event ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a band taking the stage at around 2 p.m.

Oyster Bay resident Martin Gerdes, originally from Texas, said music is something he enjoys about the fair.

“I like live music,” he said. “We could have more live music here.”

Gerdes, who attends other events in Oyster Bay, such as Oyster Fest, said the hamlet has become “foody” with many restaurants and described it as “a great place to raise children.”

The street fair included an area dedicated to inflatables and children’s games. Many people also brought their dogs along for the day.

Julia Capitelli/Herald photos

Families and Town of Oyster Bay residents gathered in downtown Oyster Bay for the annual Oyster Bay Day event.

Vendors included a variety of Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce members and other local businesses.

Multiple vendor booths offered information and materials related to health and fitness.

The Oyster Bay Day street fair featured live music for the afternoon.

The family friendly event included inflatables and children’s activities.

THAT SPEAK

O.B.E.N. rises in school rankings with francEsco ianni

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District has seen major gains in school ranking platforms in recent years. Superintendent Francesco Ianni said rankings on both Niche and GreatSchools have climbed significantly since he took over the district in January 2021.

In a question and answer interview, Ianni discussed what the changes mean for students, staff and the broader community.

Q: Which rankings improved for the district?

A: According to Ianni, the district saw substantial gains on GreatSchools, a platform commonly used by families researching communities and homebuyers browsing sites such as Zillow.

Ettinger Law Firm Well-Being Tips

Ettinger Law Firm promotes the well-being of our clients as well as the public at large. Here are some thoughts to help ease your day.

“All life is an experiment and the more experiments the better”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it” – Brian Tracy

“Accept what is. All pain comes from resistance” – Zen saying

“Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”

– Buddha

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – Shakespeare

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all the others” – Cicero

“When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself” – Ben Franklin

“The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion” – Ben Franklin

“Nothing in life is so hard that you can’t make it easier by the way you take it” – Ellen Glasgow

“Life appears to me to be too short to be spent in nursing animosity or regret” – Charlotte Bronte

“Not money, or success, or position, or travel, or love makes happiness - service is the secret” – Kathleen Norris

“To understand all is to forgive all” – Evelyn Waugh

ETTINGER LAW FIRM

to four year colleges also increased significantly, from 82 to 96 percent.

The district also saw gains in AP exam performance. According to Ianni, the percentage of students scoring a three or higher on AP exams rose from 62 to 84 percent.

“So we have students leaving the high school and attending college,” Ianni said, “and they almost skip the first year (of college).”

Ianni also pointed to increased participation in state assessments and achievements in science research programs, including Oyster Bay High School student Kristin Thomas qualifying for the International Science and Engineering Fair in Arizona after placing first in the New York State Science and Engineering Fair.

fraNcISco IaNNI

“The middle school went up from six out of 10 to 10 out of 10,” Ianni said. “The high school went from a four out of 10 to an eight out of 10.”

He added that the high school’s college readiness subcategory also rose to a nine out of 10 rating.

The district also climbed in Niche rankings, where Oyster Bay-East Norwich is now ranked among the top school districts in New York.

Q: What factors contributed to the higher ratings?

A: Ianni said improvements in graduation rates, college applications and Advanced Placement exam scores all played major roles.

“When you look at the graduation rate, everyone went up from an 89 percent all the way to 100 percent in 2024,” he said, “and then has been hovering around 95-98 percent,” he said.

The percentage of students applying

Q: How do stronger school rankings affect the community?

A: Ianni said strong schools help attract young families and can influence local property values.

“When you have a good school community where you know the there is a responsible kind of approach to the tax levy that you know is not super expensive,” he said, “young parents moving in, they feel comfortable that they could send their kids to a public school.”

He said families often use sites such as GreatSchools and Niche as indicators when deciding where to buy homes.

“Those are some of the indicators that families will look because they want to send their kids to a good place,” Ianni said.

According to district figures cited by Ianni, Oyster Bay home values increased by 27 percent over the past year, compared with an average 6 percent increase countywide in Nassau County.

— Joseph DeVito Licensed Real Estate Agent, Douglas Elliman Owner, White House Home – Malverne

Enjoying a spoonful of culinary delights

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

The Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 28th annual Culinary Delights kick-off event on April 29 at the Marker restaurant in the city, bringing together business leaders, restaurateurs and residents to highlight the growth of one of Glen Cove’s most enduring traditions.

The event served as both a preview of the upcoming culinary showcase and a moment to recognize individuals who have contributed to the vitality of the city’s business community. Speakers reflected on the event’s history, its impact on local businesses and the importance of continued community support.

Chamber President Maxine Meyris noted that Culinary Delights was created nearly three decades ago as a way to introduce community members to the diverse dining establishments in the area. What began with a small group of participants at the Regency at Glen Cove has since grown into a major regional attraction.

“It was originally designed for the community to be introduced to all the food talent in our community,” Meyris said. “It’s a way the chamber supports businesses by bringing their product to the public and helping them thrive.”

This year’s event will take place on

May 18, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Mansion at Glen Cove. Attendees will have the chance to sample a wide range of offerings, including dishes from local restaurants, as well as desserts, craft beers and wines. A portion of the proceeds will benefit local charities, including NOSH Delivers, and support scholarships for students bound for college or trade school.

Former chamber President Matt Nartowicz said the event has evolved into a premier gathering that continues to draw large crowds.

“Culinary Delights started over 25 years ago as a way to highlight our restaurants and food-adjacent businesses,” Nartowicz said. “Since then it has grown to a premier community event featuring more than 50 restaurants, over 60 tasting tables, and last year we welcomed 750 guests, and we’re on pace to do that again.”

ety of traditions.

A highlight of the kickoff was the recognition of Ylisa Kunz, who was honored for her contributions to the city’s business and civic life. Through her work at RXR Realty, Kunz has served as a liaison to city government, the downtown business improvement district and the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival, helping to strengthen connections between organizations and support local initiatives.

I t’s a way the chamber supports businesses by bringing their product to the public and helping them thrive.

MAxINe MeyRIS President, Chamber of Commerce

He added that guests can expect an immersive experience, with two floors dedicated to restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries, along with live music and raffles for prizes from participating businesses. The event also reflects Glen Cove’s cultural diversity, with cuisines spanning a vari-

Speakers praised Kunz, who plans to retire from RXR, for her dedication to helping businesses succeed and for her role in shaping community programming. She was also recognized for her involvement in bringing the Deep Roots Farmers Market to Garvies Point, which has become a fixture for residents and visitors.

In her remarks, Kunz said the recognition was unexpected, and described how much her work in the community has meant to her. “The work that I’ve done has been maybe the most rewarding thing that I’ve done in my entire career,” she said, noting that her efforts were supported by RXR and rooted in a belief in strengthening small businesses.

Kunz added that she has valued the relationships she has built through her work with the chamber and other organizations.

Jill Nosa, executive director of the downtown Business Improvement District, thanked Kunz for her contributions, calling her an important voice who will be missed.

The kickoff also highlighted the broader purpose of Culinary Delights as a platform for connection. Celeste Gullo, an agent with Allstate Insurance in Glen Head, spoke about the role food plays in bringing people together.

“What I love more is what happens when you are around food — the conversations, the laughter, the connections,” Gullo said. “That’s where all the magic happens.” She emphasized that shared meals create opportunities for collaboration and relationship-building, which are essential to the success of local businesses.

Meyris echoed that message, encouraging residents to support the businesses that contribute to Glen Cove’s economy and character. “These are our brothers and sisters who have invested in our community,” she said. “It’s our obligation to support them and keep the businesses thriving.”

Tickets can be purchased at GlenCoveChamber.org, and discounts are available for seniors, veterans and first responders.

Bayville fourth graders learn about spycraft

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

When Bill Bleyer visited fourth graders at Bayville Intermediate School to discuss the Culper Spy Ring, he expected to give students a condensed lesson on Revolutionary War espionage.

Instead, he found himself fielding sharp historical questions from students already immersed in the history of the American Revolution and Long Island’s role in it.

“It was just really cool,” Bleyer said. “When I was talking to the students before everything started. I said, ‘Would you want to be historians?’ And they got all excited and said, ‘Yeah, that would be fun.’ It was like talking to my earlier self.”

Bleyer, a longtime journalist and local historian from Bayville, was invited to speak by fourth grade teacher Evelyn Mason after she saw an advertisement for one of his public lectures on the Culper Spy Ring at the Bayville Free Library.

“I was going to the library, as I frequently do, and I saw an advertisement for programs Bill was doing on the Culper Spy Ring, and coincidentally, we were just learning about the Culper Spy Ring in school like that week,” Mason said. “So I asked the library to hook us up, and he came, and he was very informative.”

The presentation was timed ahead of the students’ field trip to Raynham Hall Museum, the former home of Culper Spy Ring member Robert Townsend. Mason brought both fourth grade classes together in the school auditorium for the lecture.

Bleyer said he adapted his usual hourlong presentation into a brief overview geared toward elementary school students.

“I showed my full PowerPoint slide presentation, but I crunched my normal hour plus lecture down to about 15 minutes, summarized how spy rings worked, and then took about another 15 minutes or so for questions,” he said. “Through the whole thing, they just had so much energy.”

Though the presentation was shorter and less technical than his lectures for adult audiences, Bleyer said he did not simplify the material too heavily.

“I didn’t dumb it down for them, because kids these days are pretty bright,” he said. “You can tell with the questions they were asking about how the invisible ink messages work are around the same kind of questions you would get from an adult audience.”

Students said they were especially interested in learning how some popular stories about Revolutionary War figures may not be historically accurate.

Student Elizabeth Kelly said one of the surprises involved the reported last words of Nathan Hale. They also learned that the famous story about spy ring member Anna Strong using laundry on a clothesline to communicate secret messages may not be fully accurate.

“We were like ‘those weren’t his last words?” student Chase Matthews said. “And we were like ‘Ms. Mason how dare you!’”

The classmates said they had already become interested in Revolutionary War history through classroom projects, books and visits to historical sites.

Elizabeth said she had read multiple books about the war, including historical fiction and nonfiction works.

Chase said learning local history changed how he viewed his hometown.

“Now I know that well, our town has a lot of history and a lot of back stories,” Chase said. “The Culper Spy Ring like helped us move on through and like, it’s like, where, where we are now.”

Javieraa Herve-Navarrete said the presentation helped students better understand how the spy ring operated.

“I liked when he was explaining about the Culper Spy Ring, Javiera said, “and what the different roles of the different people that were in the spy ring.”

Mason said bringing guest speakers into the classroom helps make history more tangible for students.

“There’s a difference between reading about it,” she said, “and actually meeting somebody who can speak to you and who has real research at the tip of his to her fingers, and can make it come alive.”

She added that learning about events that took place close to home especially resonated with students.

For Bleyer, the experience also reflected how schools are increasingly emphasizing Long Island’s role in the Revolutionary War.

“It’s really great,” he said, “that they’ve dialed

Photos courtesy Bill Bleyer

Bill Bleyer described teaching the young students as ‘like talking to my earlier self’ due to their love for history.

Bleyer walked students through the ways spies like Robert Townsend helped beat the British Army.

moms opened a spa. It had one big, on

Mery and Sindy always knew they wanted to open a spa to bring beauty to customers. Little did they know it would have the same effect on the community. And Business First was there. We provided $23,000 in grants to help with much-needed renovations so Mery and Sindy could bring their vision to life.* Now, not only does their spa impact clients in a beautiful way, it gives the community an economic lift as well. *Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.

DCeltic conundrum

ear Great Book Guru, My friends and I are looking for a good - maybe great? - mystery to read together in this merry month of May. Something good for discussion and character driven… Any thoughts?

May Mystery Maven

Dear May Mystery Maven, I just finished a wonderful mystery by a favorite author of mine - Tana French. “The Keeper” is set in the imaginary village of Ardnakeltya rural Irish farming community. This is the third in a series but can easily be read independently.

ANN DIPIETRO

Cal Hooper is a retired police officer who emigrated from Chicago in search of a simple, bucolic way of life in a picturesque village. He quickly assimilates but also quickly realizes there is little in the way of peace or simplicity in Ardnakelty. He starts a woodworking business,

takes on the reformation of a troubled teen - Trey Reddy - finds love with Lena, a local veterinarian, and makes a myriad of friends at the local pub. All seems to be going rather well until a young local girl is found dead. At first everyone assumes an accidental drowning, but as more information is uncovered, Cal begins to suspect foul play. The motives of many of the villagers are revealed and a violent land grab scheme seems to be at the core of the murder, but nothing in Ardnakelty is as it seems.

This novel is so much more than a mystery - the characters, the village, the very land itself are all exquisitely drawn and evocative of a time and place unknown to many of us. Highly recommended.

Would you like to ask the Great Book Guru for a book suggestion? Contact her at annmdipietro@gmail.com.

Don’t miss the chance to support the class of 2038 with an

Speak to your rep today or contact Rhonda at (516) 569-4000 x250 or rglickman@liherald.com.

News brief

Town beach stickers available this weekend

Town of Oyster Bay seasonal beach parking sticker sales and the free distribution of stickers to senior citizens and the disabled will begin on Saturday. Access is restricted to residents only.

Beach parking stickers will be on sale beginning Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at John J. Burns Town Park in Massapequa, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay and at TOBAY Beach. Beginning May 23, beach parking stickers will be available for purchase on weekends only from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Centre Island Beach in Bayville and Philip B. Healey Beach at Florence Avenue in Massapequa. On June 27, beach parking stickers will be available for purchase daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tappen Beach in Sea Cliff, and in Bayville at Charles E. Ransom and Stehli beaches. To purchase a beach parking sticker for your vehicle, residents must present a valid New York State driver’s license with residency in the Town of Oyster Bay, their vehicle registration, and bring the vehicle they plan to drive to the beach. Parking stickers are placed on the vehicle at the time of purchase. Beach parking stickers are $70, which pay for themselves following three visits.

Free passes for senior citizens: Town

of Oyster Bay residents aged 60 and over can obtain a free parking sticker by presenting their driver’s license with Town residency and their vehicle registration. After receiving the sticker, senior residents must be present in the vehicle for entry on each visit. If visiting the beach in another vehicle, seniors can show their driver’s license and get a free day pass.

Free passes for disabled/social security recipients: Residents who are permanently disabled or receive social security can acquire a free beach parking pass by showing their Notice of Award Letter or Handicapped Parking Permit issued from the Nassau County Department Office for the Physically Challenged, alongside with a valid driver’s license showing residency in the Town and vehicle registration. A parking sticker will then be adhered to the vehicle.

Discounts for volunteer firefighters and veterans: Town of Oyster Bay volunteer firefighters, active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and veterans’ quality for beach parking passes at reduced rates.

For more information, call the Town of Oyster Bay Parks Department, Beaches Division, at (516) 797-4111.

Team E.V.A. marks 10 years of honoring veterans

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

For most people, running a marathon is a once-in-alifetime accomplishment. For Eva Casale, it has become a yearly act of remembrance.

On May 2, Casale completed the final leg of Team E.V.A.’s “7 Marathons in 7 Days” challenge in downtown Glen Cove, capping off nearly 184 miles of running across Long Island to honor veterans, active-duty military personnel and fallen service members. The finish also marked the 10th anniversary of Team E.V.A. — Every Veteran Appreciated — a grassroots mission that has evolved into one of Long Island’s most visible veteran tributes.

Supporters, veterans, Gold Star families and local officials gathered outside Glen Cove City Hall as Casale crossed the finish line after a weeklong journey that included stops at memorials, cemeteries, VFW halls and community landmarks throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Over the past decade, Casale and her team have logged more than 2,000 miles and visited thousands of “Points of Honor,” memorial sites dedicated to military service members.

“This mission has never been about the miles — it is about honoring those who gave everything,” Casale said during the closing ceremony. “Every step forward is a promise that they will never be forgotten.”

For Casale, the mission is deeply personal. Her father served in the Korean War, and her brother is also a veteran. Nearly every member of Team E.V.A. has a connection to military service.

The organization’s roots trace back to Casale’s involvement in charity running and her interactions with Gold Star Families for Peace, an organization that supports families of fallen service members.

“I’ve been doing a lot of charity runs for quite some time,” Casale said. “And I decided that it was time to focus on these goals for the families and see what I could do to bring more awareness.”

Casale’s running journey began in East Moriches, where she started running with her late father, Jerry Casale, at age 15 as a way to stay active. One lap around the block eventually became 10-mile runs, and by 1983, at age 18, she completed her first marathon — the New York City Marathon.

Years later, another life-changing moment reshaped her understanding of purpose and service.

In 2006, while driving to work as director of information technology for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Casale heard a radio story about a family searching for a kidney donor for their father. She immediately returned home, researched the information and realized she was a match.

“Something spoke to me and said, you can help this person,” Casale recalled. “I don’t know why that day,

that story, at that time triggered that I could help this person.”

Casale ultimately donated one of her kidneys to the man. Following her recovery, she became involved with fundraising runs for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and later served as a board trustee for the organization’s Long Island chapter and head coach of its running team.

“It made me think this is my next purpose,” Casale said. “I can use my gifts for running long distances to help other people.”

That philosophy eventually evolved into Team E.V.A., which now combines endurance athletics with military remembrance across both Nassau and Suffolk counties. During this year’s run, Casale and her team stopped at more than 400 Points of Honor throughout

Long Island, including Morgan Park, VFW Post 347 and Glen Cove City Hall in Glen Cove; Clifton Park in Sea Cliff; and waterfront memorial locations in Oyster Bay and Bayville, along with stops throughout Suffolk County communities including Patchogue, Medford, Westhampton and Sag Harbor.

“This year marks a milestone, our 10th anniversary of honoring our veterans in this way,” Casale said during the ceremony. “Over the past decade, we’ve placed more than 3,000 roses at memorials and resting places. Each rose is more than a flower, it represents a story, a sacrifice.”

Christopher Wyllie, a Navy SEAL who attended the event, praised Casale and her team for their commitment to veterans and military families.

“It’s an unbelievable feat of sheer goodwill, determination, and grit to do this every year, year after year, and to bring awareness to veterans,” Wyllie said. “Spreading the word to ensure that every veteran is appreciated is a tremendous undertaking by her and her team.”

Wyllie said the anniversary felt especially meaningful given the broader historical milestones taking place this year, including the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary, 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks and 15 years since the death of Osama bin Laden.

Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck also praised Casale and Team E.V.A. for inspiring the Glen Cove community throughout the weeklong run.

“Over the past week, Eva Casale and her Team EVA have shown us what true dedication, strength and heart look like,” Panzenbeck wrote in a statement to the Herald.“The entire Glen Cove community is incredibly proud of Eva and her team.”

Photos courtesy Alyssa Nightingale

The seven day marathon concluded in Glen Cove.

Team EVA have been running marathons for 10 years to advocate for veteran causes.

Team EVA have ran more than 2,000 miles in 10 years.

CELEBRATING

ROOTED IN STRENGTH

CELEBRATING NURSES: MEET SOME OF OUR NURSE HEROES

ABIGAIL DUNNE, RN

Glen Cove Hospital

Northwell Health

Abigail Dunne’s path into healthcare began during her high school years in Locust Valley.

“I went to Locust Valley High School and I took an EMT course and I started volunteering in the Bayville Fire Department as an EMT,” Dunne, 23, says. “I decided that I really enjoyed helping people and I really liked being able to help people in ways that others couldn’t necessarily.”

Her experience in emergency medical services shaped her decision to pursue nursing, to provide what she described as a deeper level of care.

“So it was more than just offering emotional support, but now it’s like physical support and seeing people get better, get stronger. It’s just been something that’s always made me feel really good. I just love helping people.”

Dunne went on to attend nursing school while a nursing assistant at Glen Cove Hospital, where she has been employed since September 2022.

“I’ve worked at Glen Cove ... I was a nursing assistant during nursing school.”

She relates that her role as a nurse centers on compassion and service to others.

“I feel like being a nurse, it’s really just about being able to give to other people. We know people are sick and being able to help them deﬁnitely is very rewarding in itself.”

Healthcare runs in her family. Her sister works in EMS and as a nurse at Plainview Hospital, and her greatgrandfather was a doctor.

- As told to Roksana Amid

TAMEKA WALLACE, RN

Glen Cove Hospital Northwell Health

Tameka Wallace, 42, vice president and chief nursing ofﬁcer at Glen Cove Hospital, did not initially plan a career in health care.

“My path was ﬁnance,” Wallace says, explaining that she once hoped to pursue her father’s career path. “I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. He worked on Wall Street, and I was always fascinated.”

Her trajectory shifted after she took a job in hospitality services at North Shore University Hospital at age 16. By 18, she had moved onto a Telemetry unit, where she discovered her passion for patient care.

“Once I was able to get on the ﬁrst unit, I fell in love with patient care services.”

That experience, coupled with working alongside her mother, helped shape her future.

“I actually started nursing school with my mom. We did nursing school together, and we actually graduated together as well.”

Wallace, who has been with Northwell Health for 26 years and a nurse for more than two decades, shares that her work is rooted in advocacy and compassion.

“What nursing means to me is being the patient and caregiver’s advocate; making sure that they feel that they are at home, away from home. You want to put the patient at ease at a very tough time in their life.”

Now in a leadership role, Wallace aims to highlight the broader impact of the profession.

“My goal is to make sure that we get the word out on how special nursing is. It’s not just being at the bedside, we touch so many people in so many ways.”

- As told to Roksana Amid

EBONI NORVILLE, RN, NURSE MANAGER

St. John's Episcopal Hospital

Episcopal Health Services

As a child, I have always had a love for medicine. One of my ﬁrst toys was a stethoscope, and I loved to play doctor and surgery on my dolls. My favorite television shows have been related to medicine. My late father would say “Medicine is in your blood! You’re born with it!”

One day, I could not help but to ask my father why he said this. He went on to explain that his aunt worked as an RN in England for over 20 years, and my grandmother worked as a CNA. As I thought about this, I realized that he was right! Some of my fondest memories as a child are of my family members caring for the elders.

Upon further reﬂection I realized my most cherished childhood memories involve my family instinctively knowing how to care for our elders, anticipating their needs for healing or comfort. As I matured, the realization struck me: the care, compassion, attentiveness, and nurturing instinct that is within me, is the core of nursing. Almost instinctively knowing what's needed to heal or cure others.

Throughout my professional life, I have had the privilege of working in diverse settings, and those fundamental nursing principles have remained constant. Today, I am incredibly proud and grateful to be a registered nurse.

LUCKENDY CHERY, RN, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

St. John's Episcopal Hospital Episcopal Health Services

My desire to become a nurse was shaped early in life, growing up surrounded by healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, physicians and a long line of nurses across various specialties. It felt like a path I was always meant to follow.

Although I brieﬂy pursued a degree in business administration, it didn’t take long for me to return to my true calling. My journey began as an EMT, where I was known for going above and beyond in patient care, showing compassion, empathy and a commitment to doing my best. My curiosity led me to seek more than just immediate care. I wanted to understand what happened to my patients after I transferred them and how their care continued.

This curiosity led me to work as a Behavioral Health Technician for five years, where I supported patients on a Behavioral Health unit. There, I saw firsthand the profound impact nurses had through compassion, teaching and therapeutic interventions. I found fulfillment in reinforcing coping skills and lessons patients could carry back into their communities. Ultimately, my experiences, curiosity and support system guided me to nursing.

Now, after one year as a nurse, I embrace my role as an educator, advocate and leader entrusted with lives and responsible for making a meaningful difference. I chose nursing to be a positive force in the lives of patients and their families, to educate them in ways they can understand, and to serve as an example that empowers others to advocate for themselves and pursue nursing as well.

Take Your Place in Healthcare

Nursing at Adelphi: Top Rated, Top Salaries, Top Career Opportunities

Prepare for your healthcare career—or advance the one you have.

Adelphi is a U.S. News & World Report Best College for Nursing, offering: • BS in Nursing • Accelerated BS in Nursing*

We’re also a U.S. News & World Report Best Grad School for Nursing, offering:

• MS in Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

• MS in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

• MS in Healthcare Informatics

• MS in Nursing Education

• Master of Public Health

• PhD in Nursing

• DNP in Adult Gerontology Primary Care

• DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health

Clinical partnerships include Catholic Health, NYU Langone Health, Northwell Health, Mount Sinai Health System, New York-Presbyterian and New York City Health + Hospitals.

Visit adelphi.edu/nursingdegree *Now offered in Garden City and Adelphi’s new Manhattan Center

1337487

Dedicated to our communities. ,

Always leading. Always caring. Always learning.

They comfort, advocate, heal and inspire — often all in the same shift. Nurses bring skill, compassion and unwavering dedication to every patient encounter while helping shape the future of healthcare through leadership, education and innovation.

During National Nurses Week, we pause to recognize the extraordinary professionals who stand at the heart of our healthcare system. From routine visits to life-saving emergencies, from welcoming new beginnings to offering comfort in life’s most difficult moments, nurses are there through it all.

Their work demands resilience, expertise and endless empathy. We depend on their steady presence and commitment every day. Simply put, healthcare would not function without them.

In this special photo essay by Photo Editor Tim Baker, we celebrate these everyday heroes through images that capture their care, courage and commitment — and the countless ways they make a difference in our communities. We thank you. We celebrate you. We see you.

1 3 5

Photos by Tim Baker/Herald

1. At Glen Cove Hospital: Carla Joseph, RN, and Akeesha Sheriff, RN, confer in Endoscopy.

2 At work in Glen Cove Hospital's Brain Injury Unit with Nicole Caravella, RN, and Cindia Cisneros, RN

3. Lisa Pino, RN, and Hannah Russel, RN, with a newborn in Mercy Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

4. Lindsay Bodner, RN, and Kayla Lewis, RN, go about their shift in Surgery Oncology at Mercy Hospital.

5. Christopher Kelly, RN, and Torey Bender, RN, staff Outpatient Dialysis in NYU Langone –Long Island’s Emergency Department.

6. At Long Island Jewish Valley Stream: James Arxer, RN, and Tania Francois, RN, in the Emergency Department.

7. Wayne Lee RN, is a Transfer Nurse in Admission and Discharge at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream

The team in Surgical Step-down at Mount Sinai South Nassau includes Anne Quinn, RN, Jimmy Hernandez, RN, and Lauren Cuevas, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager. 9

9. Portia Javillo, RN, and Pamela Piyavunno, RN, at work in Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Family Medicine Department.

OYSTER BAY HERALD — May 7, 2026

CELEBRATING NURSES: MEET SOME OF OUR NURSE HEROES

JENNIFER ERDMAN PSINAKIS, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, PCCN

NYU Langone Hospital

Long Island

I have been a nurse at NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island for close to 15 years on a Surgical Telemetry unit specializing in cardiothoracic surgery patients. It is the first unit I started on, and I am still working on that unit to this day! It is a very special unit staffed with very special people, some who have grown to be my closest friends. I am on many hospital councils and committees, and am a boardcertified holistic nurse.

I became a nurse out of a deeprooted desire to care for others and to form meaningful human connections. From an early age, I was drawn to roles that allowed me to support, comfort and uplift those around me, and nursing provided a natural path to turn that passion into a profession. To me, nursing is far more than clinical skill or technical knowledge — it is the privilege of being present for individuals during some of the most vulnerable and significant moments of their lives.

My greatest fulfillment comes from building trust with my patients, understanding their stories and providing care that honors not only their physical needs but also their emotional and personal experiences. Nursing means advocating, listening and showing compassion in a way that helps patients feel seen, heard and valued. It is both a responsibility and a profound honor to walk alongside patients and their families, offering support, dignity and genuine human connections when it matters most.

ADRIENNE KINCH BSN, RN, CPAN, PGMT-BC

NYU Langone Hospital

Long Island

My career as a nurse has been deeply rewarding and a lifelong journey of learning. Nursing has been my profession for almost 48 years, and I cherish every experience — whether happy or sad.

As a teenager, I lost my grandfather to a heart attack, and I felt helpless. I began volunteering at a hospital, where I realized it was my life’s calling. It became very important to me to pursue a career that would allow me to make a difference in people’s lives and give me the opportunity to help others. Nursing was the perfect ﬁt.

I have had the privilege of working at NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island for 36 years in the PACU. Prior to that, I spent 10 years as an ICU nurse and two years on a medical-surgical ﬂoor. I feel incredibly fortunate to have built such a fulﬁlling career at NYU Langone - Long Island and to have gained a second work family.

Helping new nurses grow and succeed is truly my passion. Teamwork and the ability to contribute to improving the quality of patient care have motivated me throughout the years. I credit my peers, my patients, and the support of leadership for helping me grow both professionally and personally.

Nursing has given me a profound sense of purpose and a lasting passion that has brought meaning to my life. If I can give hope to someone who is sick and see it in their eyes, then I am fulﬁlled. Sharing human experiences and showing kindness through serving others has made me a better person and helped me overcome some of my own life’s heartaches through the strength of those around me.

AMARPREET KAUR, RN

Northwell

Long Island Jewish Valley Stream

Amarpreet Kaur began her nursing career at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital last March, working on the hospital’s Medical-Surgical unit with a focus on older adult care.

Her path to nursing was shaped by early experiences after immigrating to the United States from India in 2008. As a child, she often assisted her father during medical appointments, translating and observing the role communication plays in patient care.

“It was their dream of {my brother and me] basically getting our degrees in the medical ﬁeld, and then coming back and giving back to the community,” Kaur says. “That's something that we always do here and there. When we go back, we set up a camp back home. Even if it is just checking their ﬁnger sticks for blood sugar levels or their blood pressure in the community, it's so fascinating to them. That's not something that people often do there.”

Kaur pursued a degree in biology before completing her nursing education at LIU Brooklyn in 2024.

Kaur shares she was drawn to nursing to combine compassion, advocacy and clinical knowledge while supporting patients during vulnerable moments. Since starting at the hospital, she has completed a nurse residency program and taken on additional responsibilities, including serving as a diabetes resource on her unit. She has also contributed to initiatives focused on improving care for older adults and reducing complications such as falls and delirium.

Looking ahead, Kaur plans to pursue certiﬁcation in gerontology and begin graduate studies in informatics, with the goal of enhancing patient care through both clinical practice and technology.

- As told to Angelina Zingariello

ELIZABETH MCGRATH, RN

Northwell

Long Island Jewish Valley Stream

Elizabeth McGrath has worked in nursing since 2010, building her career in high-acuity settings before transitioning to Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital to serve her local community.

A Franklin Square resident, she spent more than a decade working in Emergency and Intensive Care units in the Bronx before joining the Valley Stream hospital in 2022 as an Emergency Department nurse.

“I've always wanted to be a nurse,” McGrath says. “I've always had a passion for helping people since a very young age. I think my faith in Catholicism played a lot in wanting to provide equitable care, especially for underprivileged populations.”

After two years in the Emergency Department, she stepped into her current role as an associate educator, where she supports the development of new and experienced nurses. Her responsibilities include onboarding staff, leading training programs and coordinating educational initiatives tailored to the needs of the department.

“I'm the ﬁrst nurse in my family on all sides,” McGrath says. “Actually, I am very happy to say my daughter wants to become an Emergency Department nurse, just like me. So, perhaps there will be a second nurse in the family one day.”

She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing education through Jacksonville University and expects to graduate next year. McGrath relates tht teaching has been a long-standing goal, allowing her to share her experience while supporting the next generation of nurses. She remains closely connected to clinical work by assisting staff during critical situations and staying engaged in patient care environments.

- As told to Angelina Zingariello

CELEBRATING NURSES: MEET SOME OF OUR NURSE HEROES

MITCHEL MARAVILLA, BSN, RN-BC

Mount

Sinai South Nassau

Becoming a nurse has been my dream since childhood. This aspiration began when I had to care for my father at a very young age. Sadly, he passed away shortly after I graduated from nursing school, but his memory continues to inspire my passion for this profession.

Nursing is a noble calling. The ability to care for others and help save lives is both a privilege and a gift — one that I carry with deep pride. For the past 25 years, I have dedicated myself to this profession, including 13 meaningful years at Mount Sinai South Nassau.

Throughout my career, nursing has taught me far more than clinical and technical skills. It has instilled in me the values of compassion, dedication and selflessness. In this profession, I learned that true fulfillment comes from serving others with a selfless heart. Helping without expecting anything in return and choosing to do what is right even when no one is watching.

Currently I work on F3, the Oncology Med-Surg/Telemetry unit, where teamwork and service are at the heart of everything we do. I work with amazing colleagues where we do more than just care for patients; we care for one another. We stand side by side like a family, lifting each other up and sharing both the burdens and the victories.

Over the years, MSSN has faced many changes and challenges. Yet, one thing has remained constant: our deep sense of belonging. We do not simply work here; we consider this institution our second home and continue to serve with compassion and purpose.

IVAN TAGLORIN, MSN, RN

Mount

Sinai South Nassau

Born in South Nassau, raised in the Oceanside community and now serving patients within it, my journey into nursing has truly come full circle. I began my nursing career in 2016, driven by a passion for helping others. A passion instilled in me early on through the values of my parents, who were both nurses.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of growing within the profession, starting as a bedside nurse, advancing to Assistant Nurse Manager, and now serving as a Nurse Informaticist. Each role has shaped my perspective and strengthened my commitment to patient care. While my responsibilities have changed, the core of why I chose nursing has remained the same.

To me, nursing is more than caring for the illness in front of me. It is about recognizing the individual behind the diagnosis. It is about understanding that every patient has a story, a family, a life beyond the hospital room. Nursing means showing up for people during some of their most vulnerable moments and providing not only clinical care, but also compassion, dignity and support.

In my current role, I contribute to patient care on a broader level by improving systems and implementing technologies that empower nurses and enhance the care experience for patients. Supporting nurses in delivering safe, efﬁcient and high-quality care is just as important as the outcomes themselves, as it ultimately shapes every patient's interaction. No matter the setting, my goal remains the same: to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

I am grateful for the opportunities that have brought me to this point and for the ability to continue serving others through nursing.

BETHANY LAWSON, RN Catholic Health Mercy Hospital

Bethany Lawson’s path to nursing began with a simple instinct: to care for others. Growing up, she was drawn to comforting people in difﬁcult moments, a trait that steadily evolved into a calling.

Today, Lawson is a medical-surgical nurse at Mercy Hospital, where she has worked for 13 years, ﬁrst as a patient care assistant before earning her nursing degree.

Her role is wide-ranging, from caring for psychiatric and elderly patients to performing IV therapy and phlebotomy. The variety keeps her engaged, but it is her mindset that deﬁnes her work. She approaches every patient as if they were family, a perspective that guides her through long hours and difﬁcult days.

“What keeps me going is I come to work every day, and I always treat my patients like they're my mom, my sister, my brother, my grandparents. The fulﬁllment I get from knowing I've done my part is unmatched, and it continues to motivate me to show up every day with the same passion and dedication.”

Lawson relates her decision to advance in the ﬁeld came early in her career, when she realized she wanted to do more for her patients. That drive pushed her back to school and ultimately into nursing, where she could expand her skills and impact.

She credits the supportive, familyoriented environment at Mercy Hospital for helping her grow, noting that colleagues encourage one another to improve and deliver the highest level of care to the community they serve each day.

“Nursing means helping others when they're unable to help themselves, putting my patients' needs at the forefront, and caring for them the way I would care for myself or my loved ones.”

- As told to Brian Kacharaba

GABRIELLE DEL GATTO, RN Catholic Health Mercy Hospital

Gabrielle Del Gatto discovered her calling in nursing after initially pursuing a career in education, ultimately realizing she wanted to serve people more directly in their most vulnerable moments.

Drawn to the emotional and clinical demands of patient care, she entered the nursing profession in December 2024 and quickly found meaning in the fast-paced, high-responsibility environment of the hospital setting.

On a Medical-Surgical unit, she cares for a diverse mix of patients, managing multiple assignments per shift while striving to improve each patient’s experience through attentive care each day on the unit.

“Honestly, I'm very religious, so I always wanted to work for Catholic Health hospitals because they just align with my values,” she says. “But for me, God is my never-ending motivation. Every single patient that has stood in my path, I know that they're sent to me from God. So even if things seem like they're not going the way they're meant to be, I know it's all part of the plan, and I don't question it.”

Early in her career, Del Gatto found afﬁrmation after forming a strong connection with a patient and family, an experience that led to a Daisy Award nomination just ﬁve months after practicing independently and reinforced her sense of purpose.

“My favorite part is when a patient looks me in the eye and tells me that they appreciate everything [I’ve done for them]. It is the best feeling in the whole entire world.”

She credits Mercy Hospital’s supportive culture and teamwork for helping her grow, noting the hospital’s shared commitment to compassionate care and the opportunity to learn and develop as a new nurse at Mercy.

- As told to Brian Kacharaba

CELEBRATING NURSES

NICOLETTE MASCIOLI, RN Northwell

Long Island Jewish Medical Center

NSMALL, RN

Northwell

Long Island Jewish Medical Center

icolette Mascioli spent eight days in March on a mission trip to Guatemala. It was not a glamorous, Instagram-worthy vacation. Instead, she and other volunteers — through her alma mater Sacred Heart University — provided care in remote villages. Anyone who knows the 24-year-old Farmingdale native would not be surprised.

Today Nicolette is a registered nurse at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in New Hyde Park, specializing in a Post-Surgical unit that handles everything from neurosurgery and plastic surgery to colorectal procedures and hysterectomies.

She started her volunteer streak at age 15 when she spent time with the child life program at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park by entertaining, playing and bonding with sick youngsters. She followed that up as an LIJ volunteer. Little did she realize that a career in nursing — let alone a staff role at LIJ — would be in her future. After all, no one in her family had pursued a career in health care.

“I’m grateful to have made an impact on someone else’s life — even a little,” says Nicolette, the oldest of three sisters. “I feel like I do learn something new every day. I did not expect the opportunities that I’ve had through nursing.”

The Guatemala mission through her Catholic university was made possible by a donation from LIJ to cover her travel expenses. Nicolette brought back a greater appreciation of the need in the world and good she can do.

“It was life changing,” she says. “It really reshapes your perception.”

– As told to Jason Molinet

Melissa Small went away to college, a Jamaican immigrant living the American dream. But the leap proved too great financially and she was soon back in Brooklyn working a string of department store jobs. She even considered joining the U.S. military. Then a chance encounter with a nursing assistant who sold an alternative future pushed her into health care.

Today Melissa, 40, of Jamaica, Queens, is a registered nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center — the last 13 years in the same unit. Eight Tower is LIJ’s surgical oncology floor, with a focus on abdominal, lung and pancreatic surgery patients.

Looking back, the climb up seemed improbable. She worked in a nursing home, then received certifications for phlebotomy and electrocardiogram testing. Her big break was landing a temp job at LIJ, which eventually grew into full-time employment.

“I would recommend health care if your heart is in it,” Melissa says. “I can’t imagine my life not being by the bedside. I like to be around people — our patients are like family — so nursing is great for that.”

Northwell helped fuel her growth. Aided by tuition reimbursement, she earned an Associate’s degree in Nursing followed by her Bachelor’s degree.

The leveling up of her career continues. Commuting part-time to New Jersey, she graduates from William Paterson University on May 20 with a Master of Science in Nursing, part of its family nurse practitioner program.

“Northwell has encouraged me to do more. The opportunity is there if it’s in you to do more."

– As told to Jason Molinet

MELISSA

STEPPING OUT

By Nick Mongiovi

Long Island has been home for the Ducks for 26 seasons in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), and who better to add to a successful organization than a former CY Young Award winner?

Trevor Bauer signed with the Ducks on April 2, after pitching the last ﬁve years in Japan and Mexico. Long Island went 72-54 in 2025, as it looks to build upon last year’s success with speed and dominant pitching.

“When we signed guys, we were looking for guys that wanted to win, wanted to be here and further their careers,” says third-year manager Lew Ford, the franchise’s all-time hits leader. “They’re going to play hard. I think the fans enjoy that and that’s the kind of baseball we want to play.”

Last year’s Ducks led the league in pitching, ﬁnished in second in both ﬁelding and hitting, and broke a team record for most stolen bases in a season with 239. Before last season, Ford emphasized speed, reiterating “The game is moving a lot towards speed.”

“We’re very happy with all these guys,” he says “They can still run, hit and play defense. We have a good mix of veterans and younger guys, too.”

Bauer is the name that’ll bring the reigning No. 1 pitching staff to the next level. He received the nod from Ford to be the team’s Opening Day starter on April 21 against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. The 10-year MLB veteran struck out eight but surrendered ﬁve hits, three walks and two runs in four innings of work in the 7-0 loss. Bauer, who followed his Ducks debut with a dominant no-hitter, makes his return to the United States to pitch on American soil for the ﬁrst time since 2021 with a “hate to lose” mentality.

“They’ve had a lot of good players here,” Bauer says, on why he chose the Ducks. “A lot of guys have come through here and then signed elsewhere, kind of elevated their careers. All the guys who have been here and have had a really good time here, so that’s part of it. They win. I don’t like losing.

create buzz with Bauer signing

Danielle Huebner

Inﬁelder Wilmer Difo brings MLB experience.

creation to be featured on his and the team’s social media and streaming outlets.

“We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island,” Ducks President/CBO Michael Pfaff says. “His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball. We felt that was a unique and interesting approach. He’s got very unique content, and his approach is overwhelmingly positive.”

Along with Bauer, the Ducks’ starting rotation features Island Park native Ryan Sandberg, who was the team’s most reliable and dominant starter, Nolan Clinton, Harrison Francis and Michael Dominguez. Sandberg pitched to a 3.82 ERA in 91.2 innings of work, striking out 73 batters,

Familiarity returns in the bullpen for Long Island as Jacob Asa, Garrett Crowley, Tanner Jacobsen, Ryan Langford, Michael Reed and Ramon Santos all return.

“Most of these guys came halfway through the year; they had a lot of success here,” Ford adds. “Ramon Santos, being our closer, had under a one ERA, did a very good job for us.”

Dix Hills native Matt Hogan is the starting center ﬁelder.

Ben Folds & A Piano

Ben Folds is widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of his generation is joined by multitalented actress-singer-composer Lindsey Kraft. Known for pushing genre boundaries, Folds first rose to prominence with Ben Folds Five before launching a wide-ranging solo career that blends sharp lyricism, piano-driven melodies and orchestral ambition. His recent work reflects his deep engagement with orchestral music, including a live album featuring an olrchestral performance of his hits recorded just before concluding his eight-year tenure as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center — an appointment that marked a first for the role. Today, he continues to move fluidly between pop tours and performances with leading orchestras worldwide, while also developing new work for film, television and theater.

Friday, May 8, 8 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

“Teams I’ve been on have been in the playoffs the last decade, except for 2019, when I was traded. “So I want the chance to be in the playoffs and play for something meaningful at the end of the year. Checks that box here. Great market, big in New York, with a huge baseball market. There are a lot of things that are important to me that go on here.”

meaningful at the end of the year. Checks that box are

Additionally, Bauer will be “Mic’d Up” for all games and practices for the purposes of content

He possesses “a lot of speed and defense,” Ford says. It’s a “full-circle moment” for Hogan, who grew up attending Ducks games.

“I remember I sat up in that box up there with my aunt and uncle,” Hogan says, reminiscing on his time as a kid coming to Ducks games. “So coming here and being able to enjoy the time here and have my family come to games. It’s my ﬁrst time playing on Long Island in about eight years. It’s humbling, it feels good. I’m excited to be here and really play with this team.”

Tickets can be purchased online at LIDucks.com, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or in person at the Fairﬁeld Properties Ballpark box ofﬁce in Central Islip. All games will be streamed on HomeTeam Network (HTN) with a paid subscription.

Some promotions include ﬁreworks at all Saturday home games, sunglasses to the ﬁrst 1,500 fans May 17, and Bark in the Park with Ducks patriotic hats July 1.

here and being able to enjoy the time here and have my family come to with

Big band energy meets Jamaican soul. The unique 20-piece band blends the exuberant musical layers of the jazz Big Band era with Jamaican roots music. Their sound is powered by a passionate team of talented musicians, each bringing unique energy and expertise to create an unforgettable experience. Led by trumpeter and vocalist Kevin Batchelor, and featuring Jamaican music legend 87-year-young celebrated percussionist/vocalist Larry MacDonald on congas and vocals, and Jamaican master drummer Carl Wright, band creates and perform lush original compositions and arrangements of classic songs from the rich and culturally iconic Jamaican music of ska, mento, rock steady, reggae, and jazz from the 1950s, ’60s and ‘70s.

Friday, May 8, 8 p.m. $91, $42, $37. andmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

NYC Ska Orchestra

Courtesy

Courtesy L.I. Ducks

Quackerjack always gets Ducks fans hyped.

Courtesy L.I. Ducks Closer Ramon Santos was dominant in 2025.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

MAY

On Exhibit Nassau County Museum of Art joins in the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Its landmark exhibition explores how Long Island has reflected and shaped the story of American art. From Revolutionary-era portraiture and folk art to nineteenth-century landscapes, Impressionism, and the bold innovations of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, the exhibition highlights how every major art movement found expression here. From Brooklyn to Montauk, Long Island’s natural beauty, coastal light, and close connection to New York City inspired generations of artists and gave rise to thriving art colonies and postwar creative communities. Featuring paintings, decorative arts, and historical objects displayed together in immersive settings, the exhibit celebrates the region’s enduring influence and its rich artistic legacy. On view through July 12.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: Ongoing

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

MAY

The Wallflowers

MAY 16

• Time: Noon and 1:30 p.m.; also May 31

• Contact: sandspointpreserveconservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901

MAY

26

Memorial Day Parade and Open House

Join Raynham Hall Museum for the annual Oyster Bay Memorial Day Parade followed by an open house at the museum. Chat with A.I. George Washington, play lawn games and enjoy free ice cream.

• Where: 30 West Main Street

• Time: 11 a.m.

• Contact: (516) 922-6808

‘Colors of Freedom ’Opening Reception

Join Hive Market and Gallery for the opening reception of the second annual “Colors of Freedom” exhibition celebrating freedom and national pride. On display through July 5.

• Where: 100-102 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: hivemarketob.com or call (631) 838-5008

Broadway in Bayville

The Bayville Village Arts Council invites the community to Broadway in Bayville night at the Bayville Community Arts Center. Classically trained singer Dory Agazarian performs. Bring your own snacks and beverages. Admission is free, and doors open at 7:30 p.m.

• Where: 88 Bayville Ave., Bayville

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: bvac11709@gmail. com or call (917) 880-6618

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create with kids at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes

The Wallflowers mark the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Bringing Down the Horse” on their latest tour, with a special full-album performance at the Paramount, presenting the record in sequence from start to finish. Originally released in 1996, the album became a defining success of the decade, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and going quadruple platinum. It produced a string of major hits, including “6th Avenue Heartache,” “The Difference,” and the Grammy-winning “One Headlight,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the era’s most recognizable rock singles. Led by songwriter Jakob Dylan, the band draws on classic American rock influences such as The Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — a legacy echoed in the tour’s additional tribute segment to Petty, including a full performance of the 1982 album Long After Dark. Over the years, Dylan has remained a consistent figure in rock music, collaborating widely and appearing in projects such as Echo in the Canyon alongside artists including Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Beck, Norah Jones and others. The Wallflowers also recently supported Eric Clapton on his 2025 U.S. tour, continuing their long-standing presence on major stages.

Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. $20, $10 child; members free.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: Noon-3 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

MAY 17

Four Seasons In Music

Sands Point Preserve’s reserve’s historic mansions and waterfront grounds are the backdrop for the latest edition of its unique chamber music series at Hempstead House, themed “Spring Colors.” A celebration of renewal and discovery, like the season itself, this concert is filled with fresh energy, blending beloved classics with intriguing newer works. With a touch of Mozart and Beethoven, the colors of Debussy and Ravel, the program comes together in a joyful reminder of our world. duoJalal ensemble-in-residence featuring Kathryn Lockwood, viola and

Yousif Sheronick, percussion, with violinists Debbie Buck and Julia Glenn, cellist Raman Ramakrishnan and pianist Simone Dinnerstein perform. With wine reception following. $61, $50 members.

• Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: sandspointpreserveconservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901

MAY 19

Town Board meets

The Town of Oyster Bay Town Board holds a public meeting at Town Hall North. Residents are encouraged to attend.

• Where: 54 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay

• Time: 10 a.m.

• Contact: (516) 624-6380

MAY 23

2026 Spring 5K

Planting Fields

Arboretum hosts its annual spring 5k. The first 350 racers to finish will receive a collectible finisher medal and a personalized race bib. Registration before April 25 is

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

$40 per person. After April 25, registration is $45 per person and $50 on the day of the race.

• Where: 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay

• Time: 7:30 a.m.

• Contact: plantingfields.org or call (516) 922-9210

Bayville Youth Art Showcase

The Bayville Village Arts Council hosts its fourth annual Youth Art Showcase exhibition. Artists 6-17 display their works.

• Where: 88 Bayville Ave., Bayville

• Time: 2 p.m.

• Contact: bvac11709@gmail. com or call (917) 880-6618

MAY

Hempstead House Tour

See the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion at Sands Point Preserve, the former summer residence of Howard Gould (1912-1917) and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim (1917-1930). For adults, but children 5+ are allowed. $10 per person.

• Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point

MAY 30

Notes in Nature: String Quartet in the Cloister Garden Planting Fields

Arboretum invites the community for a night of orchestral works played by a string quartet to celebrate the coming of summer. Tickets are $45 per person in advance or $50 per person at the door if seats are available. $45 per person in advance, $50 at the door if seats are available. Includes a complimentary glass of wine.

• Where: 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay

• Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

• Contact: plantingfields.org or call (516) 922-9210

Art in the Park

Enjoy the fresh spring air at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach. Local artists, craftspeople, photographers, food artisans and others display and sell hand-crafted goods.

• Where: 63 Larrabee Ave., Oyster Bay

• Time: Noon

• Contact: capa@oysterbay-ny. gov or call (516) 797-7925

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

Oyster Bay will serve as fair’s exclusive host

back and forth from the university back to the hamlet, so everything is much more user-friendly for participants.”

The fair has also doubled its author lineup from previous years, according to Israel, with a total of 150 writers in a wider range of genres than ever before. He attributed the growth to increasing national recognition of the event and audience demand for more genres and programming.

“We have more authors and more publishers calling us, asking to be included,” Israel said. “The second reason is popular demand. People have asked for more options in literary genre, more children’s books, young readers’ books and other offerings.”

This year’s festival will feature expanded programming for children and young readers. According to Israel, this year the event is introducing a dedicated children’s stage with readings and signings by more than a dozen authors and illustrators.

“There’s going to be all sorts of children’s crafts, vendors, play,” he said. “We’re going to do a children’s story-time stage, and we’ve got over a dozen authors and illustrators reading to kids and signing their books.”

Jacqueline Cipolla, executive director of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, said the expanded event is expected to bring significant foot traffic downtown and expose new visitors to local businesses.

“We’d love this to be a destination event that people come to from all around the area,” Cipolla said. “We feel like the fair is

such a good way to boost the economic vitality of the downtown, to get more people here who maybe have not come to Oyster Bay.”

The association, which in previous years has helped with permits and coordination, is taking on a larger operational role this year, according to Cipolla. The nonprofit is overseeing the logistical operations for the event, coordinating with vendors and organizing the layout of their tents, along with other responsibilities.

The festival will feature interactive exhibits from local libraries and media organizations. “There also is this big story-time tent we’re doing,” Cipolla said. “So during both days, there’ll be children’s authors coming and sharing and doing a story time for the kids.”

FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, the festival’s lead sponsor, wrote in a statement that its involvement reflects its commitment to literacy and education initiatives across Long Island.

“Events such as the Gold Coast Book Festival align closely with FourLeaf’s broader commitment to literacy, education, and community enrichment,” Morgan Ford, the credit union’s public relations and crisis content specialist, stated. “We are always looking for meaningful ways to support organizations that advance literacy efforts within the communities we serve.”

A complete list of authors and event schedules, along with other information, is available at the Gold Coast Forum website, GoldCoastForum.org.

Herald file photo

Both days of this year’s fair will take place in downtown oyster Bay.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

LOCUST VALLEY

CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

22 HORSE HOLLOW ROAD

LOCUST VALLEY, NY

11560

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Board of Education

Locust Valley CSD Administration Building 22 Horse Hollow Road Locust Valley, NY 11560

The Board of Education of the Locust Valley CSD, Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for:

CESSPOOL

CLEANING/MAINTENA

NCE SERVICES

Sealed bids will be addressed to the attention of Ingrid Wright, Administration Building, 22 Horse Hollow Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560, until Friday, May 15, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. at which time the proposals will be publicly read: All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes, bearing on the outside the name and address of the bidder and the title of the bid in the lower left-corner. The specifications and bid forms may be secured on or after May 4, 2026 from the Purchasing Office, Administration Building, 22 Horse Hollow Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560 or by emailing lvpurchasing@locustval leyschools.com

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids and to readvertise for new bids, or to waive technical defects, irregularities and omissions, when doing so is deemed, in its sole discretion, to be in the best interest of the School District.

Board of Education

Locust Valley CSD

By: Alison Dunne District Clerk 160093

LEGAL NOTICE

LOCUST VALLEY

CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

22 HORSE HOLLOW ROAD

LOCUST VALLEY, NY 11560

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Board of Education

Locust Valley CSD Administration Building

22 Horse Hollow Road

Locust Valley, NY 11560

The Board of Education of the Locust Valley CSD, Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for:

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Sealed bids will be addressed to the attention of Ingrid Wright, Administration Building, 22 Horse Hollow Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560, until Friday, May 15, 2026 at 10:30 A.M. at which time the proposals will be publicly read: All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes, bearing on the outside the name and address of the bidder and the title of the bid in the lower left-corner. The specifications and bid forms may be secured on or after May 4, 2026 from the Purchasing Office, Administration Building, 22 Horse Hollow Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560 or by emailing lvpurchasing@locustval leyschools.com

Board of Education

Locust Valley CSD By: Alison Dunne District Clerk 160094

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE: INC.

VILLAGE OF LAUREL HOLLOW - PLANNING BOARD NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN, that a public meeting and hearing will be held by and before the Planning Board of the Inc. Village of Laurel Hollow, Nassau County, New York, on Wednesday May 27,2026 at 7:00 P.M. at the Village Hall located at 1492 Laurel Hollow Road, Laurel Hollow, NY to consider the following: P12-2024 and T45-2024 Public hearing to reopen and amend the application of Christopher Roussis of 1572 Laurel Hollow Rd. The original application was to remove 36 trees; the applicant now seeks to amend that request and remove a total of

52 trees from his property in connection with building permit #3576 to demolish the existing house and build a new singlefamily home. This parcel of land is known as Section 26, Block E, Lot 9 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

P2-2026 and T16-2026

Public hearing on the application of Roger Bautista of 428L Harbor Road to remove 14 trees from his property in connection with building permit #3611 to demolish the existing house and build a new singlefamily home. This parcel of land is known as Section 14, Block A, Lot 1148 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

P3-2026 Public hearing on the application of Roger Bautista to disturb steep slopes, very steep slopes, and severely steep slopes at 428L Harbor Road as detailed in plans prepared by Ferrantello Group dated 5/22/25 last revised 4/1/26. This parcel of land is known as Section 14, Block A, Lot 1148 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

“

P1-2026 and T10-2026 Public hearing on the application of Lauren Kruegel of 355 Stillwell Lane to remove 18 trees from her property in order to create a play area, and to provide sun exposure for the pool. This parcel of land is known as Section 14, Block 30, Lot 18-19 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All relevant documents submitted in connection with this application are on file at the Village Clerk’s Office in the Village Hall. If you wish to inspect the documents, please email the Deputy Clerk at Deputy@laurelhollow.o rg in advance of the meeting to make arrangements. All persons interested will be given an opportunity to be heard at said time and place. By Order of the Planning Board

Christopher Hadjandreas, Chairman June 9, 2025 160091

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS SEALED PROPOSALS FOR THE “REMOVAL, TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL OF LIQUID SLUDGE FROM

THE SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY” for the Oyster Bay Sewer District will be received by the Board of Commissioners at the office of the District, 15 Bay Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, until 6:30 P.M., Prevailing Time on May 20, 2026 at which time they will be publicly opened and read.

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any informalities, and to accept such bid which, in the opinion of the Board, is in the best interests of the District. Each bid must be made on the form furnished by the Board and must be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond for a sum of at least equal to five percent (5%) of the total amount of the total bid, made payable to the OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT, said check to be forfeited to the District as liquidated damages in case of failure of the successful bidder to enter into a contract for the execution of the work within ten (10) days after written notice from the Board to do so has been received at the bidder’s address as stated in his proposal.

Please contact H2M architects + engineers at (631) 756-8000, ext. 1510 for questions concerning this project. Plans, Specifications and Information for Bidders may be obtained in .pdf format on USB Flash Drive on the deposit of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each set furnished at the office of the Consulting Engineers, H2M architects + engineers, 538 Broad Hollow Road 4th Floor East, Melville, New York 11747 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM daily, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

Thomas D. Galasso, Chairman Joseph G. Pecora, P.E., Secretary James T. Whelan, Treasurer

DATED: May 8, 2026 160092

Board candidates focus on A.I., costs, transparency

trict’s financial management and its opposition to state regionalization initiatives, and highlighted improvements in graduation rates and outcomes for students with disabilities.

“Our students with disability, our most vulnerable population, only graduated at a 60 percent level five years ago,” Santos said. “Today they are graduating at 100 percent graduation rate, narrowing that achievement gap.”

Cronin, a retired Nassau County police detective and a former board president, has focused much of his campaign on accountability and communication with residents.

“I’m running … to promote integrity, accountability, transparency and fiscal responsibility in the district’s budget and expenditures,” he said.

Longo, who previously served for 12 years on the board, said she wanted to restore what she described as stronger communication between district leadership and the public. “I am running … to be the ears and the voice of my constituents who elect me,” she said, “the voice of those who have gone unheard.”

Vagliante, an attorney and a parent of a district student, centered her remarks on concerns about classroom technology and artificial intelligence.

“The more I looked into the research on education technology,” she said, “the more I learned of its detriments and the lack of any support of its claim to benefits.”

Questions from the audience touched on issues ranging from transparency to sports, special education and transgender athletes.

On the subject of transparency, candidates generally agreed that public communication was important, though they differed on whether the current board had been sufficiently open with residents.

“I look at transparency as, if a question is asked from a community member to the board,” Cronin said, “you try to answer that question as best you can that night.”

Longo said that transparency involved “building trust,” and called for more public discussion during meetings.

Santos defended current board practices, citing the district’s use of online documents and public budget presentations. “We have worked very hard at being transparent, particularly this budget season,” she said. “Many of our neighboring school districts are really having to cut their budgets, and we thought it was very prudent to get out early and in front of anything that this board needed to eliminate, and how we were going to balance our budget and stay within the property tax cap.”

Artificial intelligence and technology in schools were the focus of some of the sharpest differences among candidates. Longo said that A.I. would likely become an important educational tool if implemented carefully. Castrogiovanni

made that point as well, saying that the changes A.I. has brought to the job market make understanding it an important skill.

Santos discussed cybersecurity concerns and the need to balance innovation with protecting student privacy. Vagliante argued that schools should slow the adoption of A.I. technology, particularly for younger students.

“I don’t believe our children should be a part of this experiment,” she said. The candidates also addressed declining enrollment and its impact on interscholastic sports. Several noted partnerships with neighboring districts and new sports offerings such as sailing, crew and swimming.

Santos and Castrogiovanni pointed to improvements in graduation rates among special-education students as evidence of successful district support systems.

Budgeting and spending priorities were also a major topic. Candidates largely agreed that they would avoid cutting student programs if state funding shrank, though Vagliante suggested reducing technology spending before cutting academic or extracurricular opportunities.

Longo criticized administrative costs, specifically referencing the superintendent’s salary. Santos defended the administration’s financial decisions, arguing that district leadership had improved academic performance while remaining within the tax cap.

Toward the end of the evening, candidates were asked why they were seeking a seat on the board. Vagliante said she wanted to advocate for children and evidence-based educational practices.

“I’m running … because I am very passionate for advocating for the needs of the kids,” she said.

Cronin pointed to his years of community involvement and previous service on the board, while Castrogiovanni urged residents to continue supporting the current board’s direction.

“When you cast your ballot,” she said, “I ask you to vote for proven success.”

The budget vote and board election will be held May 19 in the high school chorus room.

Herald file photo

the election and budget vote will held in the high school chorus room on may 19.

I have more than enough words for a memoir

Recently I entered into an agreement with noted editor Peter Ginna to put my 140,000-word memoir manuscript into final form to be presented to publishers. That will probably result in the reduction of at least 30,000 words and some reformatting. The final product, though, will be mine.

This project began five years ago. After I retired from Congress in January 2021, I started to assemble my thoughts, news stories, photos and memorabilia from 28 years in office in an attempt to make some sense of, and put in some perspective, my experiences. The more I assembled, the more I realized how long and unlikely the journey had been — and how fortunate I had been.

Particularly helpful to me in collating so much of the memories and information was Anne Rosenfeld, who worked in my district office, in Massapequa Park, for all of those years, including the last 20 as district director. Melissa Zimmerman was one of the Nassau County Police Department

detectives on my congressional security detail. Having retired shortly before I did, she agreed to be my post-congressional security director. As she learned what I was doing and heard my discussions about my experiences, she urged me to put it all into a memoir. And she didn’t let up until I started the process.

As I began to write, I realized that the story would have to begin where it all began, on the bluecollar sidewalks of Sunnyside, Queens, and then St. Albans.

if not a ragsto-riches tale, my life has certainly been an improbable journey.

My grandparents were Irish immigrants. My father was a World War II veteran and an Army Reserve major who served for three decades in the New York City Police Department, rising to the rank of lieutenant as commanding officer for physical training and head of the department’s first Ceremonial Unit, which he formed. My mother, a product of the Depression, had to turn down a college scholarship and take a job instead.

My younger brother, Kevin, and I attended St. Teresa’s grammar school, in Woodside, where there were 70-plus kids in a classroom, with no concern for feelings or sensitivity. Tuition was 25 cents a week. After that it was Brooklyn Prep and then St. Francis College, while

TI worked full-time at the Railway Express freight yards on Manhattan’s West Side as a junior and senior. After that I was unexpectedly accepted by Notre Dame Law School, where I made friendships that would last a lifetime. At neighboring St. Mary’s College I met Rosemary, who has been putting up with me for a lifetime.

All of this somehow led to experiences with an eclectic mix of people and events that made for an interesting, never boring, life, as I navigated the minefields of New York and Washington politics and government. I dealt with tragedies such as Sept. 11 and its lasting aftermath, which included fighting for health care benefits for its survivors and first responders. I was one of only two members of Congress in history to vote against the impeachment of two presidents. I faced challenges as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, holding controversial hearings into Islamic radicalization and ensuring that New York and Long Island received the funding necessary to defend against future terrorist attacks.

Over the years in New York, Washington and overseas, there were dealings with Presidents Clinton, Bush,

Obama, Trump and Biden; British Prime Minister Blair and Irish P.M. Ahern; Israeli leaders Rabin, Peres and Netanyahu; and meeting foreign leaders and dignitaries such as Russia’s Yeltsin, Poland’s Walesa and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. There were New York leaders, characters and personalities including Cardinal John O’Connor, Al D’Amato, Ed Koch, Rudy Giuliani and Roy Cohn. There was also the almost surreal experience of being the grandson of Irish immigrants and having a great uncle who was in the IRA and imprisoned during the Irish War of Independence in the 1920s — and working with Clinton, Blair, Ahern and Irish Republican leader Gerry Adams to bring about the historic 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the centuries-old, bloody struggle between the British government and the people of Ireland. My life has not been a rags-to-riches tale, but it has certainly been an improbable journey, beyond what I ever could have dreamed of or imagined. It has indeed been what my book title describes, “The Road to God Knows Where — From the Blue Collar Sidewalks of Queens to the Halls of Congress.”

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

We all need friends, and NATO is our best one

he older you get, the more you need to have some friends. While we should always be lucky to have a family that cares for us in good times and bad, we still have to have friends. A little research showed me that there are more songs about the value of friends, and the need for them, than about independence or going it alone.

I’m sure many readers are familiar with the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Or Dionne Warwick’s “That’s What Friends Are For,” or Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” Or Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” I could list another dozen songs that capture the importance of having a friend. Which brings us to the subject of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Somehow, President Trump has advanced the distorted idea that America can go it alone in the world without the help of our overseas allies. Long before NATO came into existence in 1949, our European friends were fighting with us in World War II, losing thou-

sands of young men to keep democracy alive.

When NATO was founded, its membership comprised Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. It now includes Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey. It is a powerful union of allies who all have economic and strategic relationships with the United States.

There is no way the United States could go it alone without these allies.

has always stood by us since then. Trump alleges that Iran was almost ready to attack the United States and Israel, but it did not launch an attack on our country. Being a “threat” to a NATO ally isn’t the same as attacking it. On 9/11, the NATO countries immediately declared their support for the United States and provided numerous forms of assistance, both technical and economic.

territory.) Russia could mount an attack on our country in minutes if it ever served their purposes.

What gets lost in the debate about NATO’s obligations to intervene in the war with Iran is that NATO was never consulted before the war began, and no member country was attacked by Iran. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty says that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members, which is not what happened in the war with Iran.

The first time the NATO charter was invoked was when America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. The alliance

To this day, NATO members continue to offer us strategic advice about actions around the world that may be a threat to America. They provide us with warnings about weather patterns and environmental events that are a threat to our region of the planet. And most of all, they buy billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment and other products that make our manufacturers healthy and wealthy.

Whether the president admits it or not, our two biggest enemies are China and Russia. In the case of Russia, it is worth noting that it is less than 60 miles from Alaska. (And actually, Big Diomede Island, in Russian territory, is just 2½ miles from Little Diomede Island, in U.S.

As for China, even with some severe economic problems, it is capable of causing major upheaval for the U.S. if it chooses. Should it invade Taiwan, America would lose its major supplier of the semiconductor chips that companies like Nvidia and Apple use for advanced computing. Other chips are used in automobiles and a wide variety of products, and we can’t afford to lose that supply.

There is no way that the United States could go it alone without its NATO allies. We can’t protect our country from the world’s two worst predators without those allies on our side. Breaking up that alliance would be strategic and economic suicide. Talk is cheap, so the president has every right to pick occasional spats with NATO, but he can’t afford to abandon it. To do so would create chaos for generations to come.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.

P.M. Peres and leaders Yeltsin, Queen leaders, including D’Amato, Cohn. surreal of great imprisIndepenwith Republiabout Agreecenturies-old, British govIreland. rags-to-riches I ever imagined. It title Knows SideConcongressman, and Committee

Small Business Week, with eyes wide open

Small Business Week, which runs from May 3 to 9, will bring the usual round of proclamations, ribbon-cuttings and feel-good photo ops. Local entrepreneurs deserve every one of them. They also deserve the truth: The Main Streets of Long Island are under siege, and a week of celebration cannot paper over what the rest of the year has made painfully clear.

Walk down Park Avenue, in Long Beach, or Merrick Avenue, or any commercial corridor from Lynbrook to Glen Cove, and the strain is visible. For Lease signs have not come down in months. Restaurants have cut hours because they can’t find or afford the staff to stay open. Family-owned shops that survived the pandemic now wonder whether they will survive the aftermath. The business owners who anchor our downtowns aren’t asking for sympathy. They are asking, quietly and increasingly, whether the math still works.

The pressures are no secret. Rents for Long Island commercial space have climbed steadily. Costs have skyrocketed, outpacing what owners can charge without losing customers. Wages have risen, as they should, but for thin-margin businesses, every raise is a calculation about how many shifts can be staffed next month.

Energy bills and insurance premiums keep grinding higher. And looming over all of it is the e-commerce machine — Amazon, Temu, Shein and a growing list of online giants whose business model depends on undercutting the shop down the block, capturing the sale, and sending the profit somewhere far from Long Island.

The numbers tell a more complicated story than the celebratory ones we usually hear. In Nassau County, the U.S. Small Business Administration backed more than $207 million in loans last year, supporting roughly 500 businesses and helping create or sustain 2,850 jobs. That is real and meaningful. But SBA lending is also a barometer of need. A community in which hundreds of businesses require government-backed credit just to keep their doors open is not a community where small business is thriving on its own. It is a community where small business is fighting to hold ground.

Matt Coleman, the SBA’s regional administrator, has said that anyone who wants to understand the local economy needs to look past the financial markets and pay attention to those small businesses, embedded in our communities. He’s right. And what those businesses are telling us, if we listen honestly, is that the ground beneath them is shifting faster than they can adapt.

Federal tax relief on tips and overtime will help some workers. Modest tax reductions for small-business owners will help some operators. Neither will reverse the structural forces reshaping retail, hospitality and local service. The playing field is not level, and pretending otherwise does our merchants no favors.

What small businesses can offer is what e-commerce cannot: presence, accountability and a stake in the community. The pizzeria in East Rockaway that sponsors the Little League team.

The diner in Seaford that hosts the volunteer fire department’s monthly breakfast. The florist in Oyster Bay that decorates the village gazebo for the holidays.

None of those things show up on a balance sheet. All of them disappear when the storefront goes dark.

The Herald takes pride in standing alongside local businesses every day of the year. Our reporters tell their stories — the grand openings, the second-generation handoffs, the milestone anniversaries, the moments when local owners step up to feed first responders during a storm. Our advertising and marketing teams work shoulder to shoulder with owners to help them reach customers and grow their brand across print, digital and social channels. We do this because we believe local journalism and local commerce rise and fall together.

Honesty about the challenges is not pessimism. It is the precondition for a serious response. Policymakers should be looking hard at commercial rent pressures, at the unequal tax treatment that favors online sellers, at workforce housing that should allow people to actually live near where they work. Residents have a role, too — a more direct one. Every dollar spent locally is a dollar that stays here, resulting in sponsors for Little League teams, donors for nonprofit events, tenants for local storefronts, and more.

So this week, before clicking “buy now” online, walk into the shop down the block. Order takeout from the family-run restaurant in Island Park. Book the local landscaper from Malverne. Tip generously. The Main Streets of Long Island are not guaranteed. They are chosen, one transaction at a time, by the people who live here — and that choice has never mattered more.

State budget is a master class in mismanagement

once upon a time there was a state that was the envy of the world.

It had the busiest ports, rich natural resources, a booming economy, and steady jobs that allowed people to build stable lives. It was a place where hard work paid off. Families bought homes, sent their kids to college and built retirement savings. For generations it was the epicenter of the American dream. That state was New York. That may sound like a fairy tale, but it was real. I know it because I lived it.

My immigrant parents came here with very little and somehow built a beautiful life for their children.

Our state was once the center of the universe economically, culturally and politically. Today the opposite is true. Costs have skyrocketed nonstop for years, families feel the burden of taxes and utilities, and the state that once led the nation is losing ground.

I can’t tell you how many young couples tell me their tales of woe as they

buy their first home. In many cases they’re paying nearly a million dollars for a starter home with one bathroom on a 40-by-100-foot lot. They’ll make countless sacrifices and work countless hours away from their family to own this home. How did we leave our children this mess?

Well, it didn’t happen overnight, and it wasn’t an accident. It is the direct result of deliberate and foolish decisions made in Albany year after year.

nWhen policies fail to produce growth, the result is predictable: People move, and our state loses both population and influence. That should be a wake-up call. New York leads the nation in out-migration, with more people leaving than are moving in.

And here’s the little secret they don’t want you to know: It’s all because Albany bureaucrats are spending like sailors on shore leave. In 2018, New York’s budget was roughly $170 billion — already an enormous amount. Today it’s nearly $270 billion. That’s a staggering increase for so short a time.

ew York spends more than Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand or Peru.

New York spends more than countries like Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and Peru. With that level of spending, you’d expect to see noticeable improvements in your daily life. But that’s not even remotely true. Roads are crumbling, infrastructure is in decay, the electrical grid can’t meet demand, and our public transportation system is in constant crisis.

unchecked government spending. That’s money taken out of the local economy that could have been spent on groceries, child care or any number of household expenses. Who knows? Maybe even a vacation for you and your kids.

And that’s too bad, because we know that economic growth doesn’t come from government spending; rather, it comes from the private sector. Government’s job is to create the conditions for that growth: reasonable taxes, responsible spending, reliable infrastructure, and regulations that protect the public without stifling opportunity. It’s not rocket science.

It is absurd to believe we can spend ourselves into prosperity. Trying to restore affordability by spending more is like trying to get out of debt with your credit card — it only makes things worse.

Retirees are relocating to stretch their savings. Young families are choosing states where housing is more affordable and the tax burden is lower. Businesses are expanding elsewhere, taking jobs and opportunity with them. New York has already lost one congressional seat. If these trends continue, it is projected to lose as many as two more after the 2030 census, further reducing its national influence.

Framework by Tim Baker

You’re left to wonder, where does all that money go? One thing’s for sure: It’s gone and it’s not coming back. In Gov. Kathy Hochul’s New York, there is no end in sight. I am routinely shocked and even offended by her budget’s reckless approach.

Government spending doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every dollar spent by the state comes out of someone’s pocket. An average New York family of four loses tens of thousands of dollars annually to

The only practical approach is to control spending and let people keep more of what they earn. That’s what fuels personal spending, which always results in business growth and job creation. It’s been the same formula in this country for 250 years, and it’s working right now in other states. You know it. I know it. But the governor must have failed that class.

Jack Martins represents the 7th State Senate District.

JaCk m. marTins

#1 Oﬃce Production, Unit & Listing Leader

A lifelong Sea Cliff resident and highly rated realtor, Damian Ross provides a principled, detail-oriented approach to real estate across the North Shore. Known for his integrity and calm demeanor, he combines deep local roots with a vast professional network to ensure a seamless experience for every client.